INSTRUCTION IN VOCAL MUSIC. 
OPENING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN, 
PROFESSOR F. W. ROOT, OF CHICAGO. 
ALTHOUGH not directly in this line of work, I am greatly in sympathy 
with school-music teaching, believing, as I do, that this department is the 
most potent of all in making ours a musical nation ; and believing, more- 
over, that the school-music teachers are availing themselves of the best 
shought of our time to improve their methods and do their important 
work conscientiously and effectively. 
School-music work is not as conspicuously honored as it deserves. The 
inishing teachers often get credit for results which have been made pos- 
sible only by the long-continued, patient, systematic work during the 
pupils’ formative years at school. School-music teachers do for musical 
authors what parents and home influences do for character—the most im- 
portant because fundamental part. And so, although some of us musicians 
have no direct contact with this department of work, we must be blind 
indeed if we do not appreciate how dependent we are upon it, and what a 
debt of gratitude we owe to you who are working effectively in that field. 
LEARNING TO READ MUSICAL NOTATION. 
BY CHARLES H. GREENE. PEORIA, ILL. 
‘« In what grades should children commence learning to read musical notation ?” 
UproN entering a primary schoolroom at the beginning of the school 
year, I feel it my duty to be able to determine almost instantly the capac- 
ity of the teacher to govern her class, and to determine as quickly how I 
can do my work so that the room will, when I leave it, be in a better 
condition than when I entered it. 
What is a good lesson in one room may be a very poor lesson in the 
room across the hall ; and experienced teachers will tell you that classes 
vary a great deal from year to year. Three years ago I found a class in 
a district where the best work or the best talent could not be expected, 
yet they did very good work. The intelligent lady teacher seemed sur- 
prised at their progress. The next year all was changed. The class, to 
put it mildly, was very stupid, as far as singing was concerned.